Machine for filling carton boxes and the like



Nov. 21, 1961 L. E. RUSSELL MACHINE FOR FILLING CARTON BOXES AND THE LIKE Original Filed Nov. 19, 1957 FIG. I

8 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY 9 7? LEE E. RUSSELL 4 21, 1961 L. E. RUSSELL 3,009,303

MACHINE FOR FILLING CARTON BOXES AND THE LIKE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Nov. 19, 1957 g INVENTOR LEE E. RUSSELL ATTORNEY;

Nov. 21, 1961 1.. E. RUSSELL 3,009,303

MACHINE FOR FILLING CARTON BOXES AND THE LIKE Original Filed Nov. 19. 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR, LEE E. RUSSELL ATTORNEY Nov. 21, 1961 L. E. RUSSELL 3,009,303

MACHINE FOR FILLING CARTON BOXES AND THE LIKE Original Filed Nov. 19, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR LEE E. RUSSELL QM WM;

ATTORNEY Nov. 21, 1961 L. E. RUSSELL 3,009,303

MACHINE FOR FILLING CARTON BOXES AND THE LIKE Original Filed Nov. 19, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR LEE E. RUSSELL ATTORNEY N v- 21, 1 1 E. RUSSELL 3,009,303

MACHINE FOR FILLING CARTON BOXES AND THE LIKE Original Filed Nov. 19, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG. 26 m G\ k 3/ l :2 98 \00 8 l i e 99 2 |J i #3 98 F I I I \\Q 9 h 1% c 5 91 INVENTOR LEE E. RUSSELL ATTORNEY Nov. 21, 1961 L. E. RUSSELL 0 MACHINE FOR FILLING CARTON BOXES AND THE LIKE Original Filed Nov. 19, 1957 V 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR LEE E. RUSSELL ,&

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,009,303 MACHINE FOR FILLING CARTON BOXES AND THE LIKE Lee E. Russell, Plant City, Fla, assignor to Crompton This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 697,473, filed November 19, 1957, now United States Patent No. 2, 987,974, which application relates to opening a carton automatically and thereafter controlling it for presentation to a loading station. This divisional application relates to a carton filling machine, said machine being shown but not claimed in the aboveidentified application.

The invention relates more particularly to that type of machinery in which flat folded cartons are stacked one over the other and in which a carton is converted from the flat folded form to open form and thereafter moved to a loading station for reception of various articles, such for instance as cans. In machines of this general type as now used, an attendant working at the loading station removes a carton from the top of a stack of folded cartons and manually opens it and then holds it in position at the loading station for reception of articles to be loaded. It is an important object of the present invention to provide a carton filling machine which will eliminate all of the manual operations 110W performed by the attendant by providing means which will maintain the control open at one end thereof at the loading station after the bottom carton of a stack or group of cartons has been automatically fully opened and moved to the loading station.

It is another object of the invention to provide a flap folder for the flap opposite the previously-mentioned deflected flap to fold the flap between the top and bottom flaps and maintain it in that position as the carton is moved away from the opening station by advancing means to the loading station, movement of the carton from the opening station completing .the folding of the previously deflected flap. Thereafter continuing motion of the carton toward the loading station effects folding of the top and bottom flaps by cooperation with stationary inclined folding guides.

It is a further object of the invention to move the opened cartons by successive stages from the opener station to a loading station. In order that the carton may be loaded the flaps on the side thereof opposite the flaps already mentioned should be flared or spaced slightly to form a funnel, as it were, to receive the articles to be placed in the carton. It is a further object of the invention to cause the bottom flap on said opposite side of the carton to be deflected downwardly into a guide by another shoe element and to cause the top flap to ride up over a stationary guide inclined in such manner as to bend the top flap away from the bottom flap.

It is another object of the invention to provide guiding gates or the like to bend the end flaps intermediate the top and bottom flaps away from each other so that all of the flaps on the receiving side of the carton will in effect form a funnel to facilitate entry of articles into the carton. The gates act in such manner as to assist guiding the articles into the carton, after which they are returned to their normal position to permit the loaded carton to continue in its path toward a guiding station.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example the embodiments of the invention and in which:

3,009,303 Patented Nov. 21, 1961 FIG. 1 is a side elevation of that part of the machine showing the carton opener and the loading station, certain of the parts being broken away,

FIG. 2 is a slightly enlarged plan view partly in section on lines 2-2 of the left-hand part of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the right-hand part of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1 looking in the direction of arrow 3 of that figure,

FIG. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a detailed vertical section on line 5-5, FIG. 2,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section of the opener mechanism on line 6-6, FIG. 2,

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detailed view looking in the direction of arrow 7, FIG. 4, certain of the parts being in section,

IG. 8 is an end elevation partly in section looking in the direction of arrow 8, FIG. 4,

FIG. 9 is a detailed plan view looking in the direction of arrow 9, FIG. 1, showing the mechanism for operating the advancers or pushers which move the opened carton along its path,

FIG. 10 is an enlarged detailed section on line 10-10, FIG. 2,

FIG. 11 is a detailed vertical transverse section on an enlarged scale, FIG. 1, certain of the parts being broken away,

FIGS. 12-13-14-15 and 16 are detailed vertical sections on lines 12-12, 13-13, 14-14, 15-15 and 16-16 respectively, FIG. 2,

FIGS. 17, 18 and 19 are detailed plan views partly in section looking in the direction of arrows 17, 18 and 19, FIG. 4,

FIG. 20 is a detailed horizontal section on line 20-20, FIG. 4,

FIG. 21 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the manner in which the opener and secondary supports operate,

FIG. 22 is a diagrammatic view showing the operation of the secondary support and opener in one of the movements which they have with respect to the lowest carton in the group,

FIG. 23 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner of movement of the secondary support and opener to eifect opening of the lowest carton in the group,

FIG. 24 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the secondary support holds up the top ply of the lowest carton and the cartons superposed above it when the opener moves down to push the bottom ply of the lowest carton to low position,

FIG. 25 is a diagrammatic View showing the manner of operation of the flap folder which acts on one of the end flaps at the rear of the trailing side of the carton,

FIG. 26 is a diagrammatic view showing the operation of the previously-mentioned shoes,

FIG. 27 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing the flap closer set forth in FIG. 25 and showing the primary pusher or advancer and secondary pushers or advancers for the opened carton,

FIG. 28 is a diagrammatic view showing the next stage of operation after that set forth in FIG. 27,

FIG. 29 is a diagrammatic View showing the relation between the various parts of the machine and how they are operated,

FIG. 30 is a plan view of the flat folded carton such as can be used with the invention, v

FIG. 31 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, showing one of the stops to prevent retrograde movement of one of the cartons,

FIG. 32 is a fragmentary elevation, parts being broken away, showing control means to stop the machine in the event the magazine is depleted of cartons, and

FIG. 33 is an enlarged view looking in the direction of arrow 33, FIG. 1, showing the means whereby the machine can be moved laterally.

The following description will set forth first a carton such as may be used with the invention, then the operations which are performed on the carton, after which a description will be given of the various means and mechanisms for carrying out the operations which are performed on the carton.

In the carton shown in FIG. 30 it is presumed that the general movement would be to the right so that the leading or right-hand end would be the front and the bottom of the figure will be referred to as the right-hand side of the carton. The carton is of the type which generally opens to a rectangular form and has four panels which form the sides and ends of the finished carton and there is extended from opposite sides of each of these panels a flap each attached to its respective panels but all of the flaps being separate from each other. The carton has a top ply TP having a relatively long side forming panel a and a shorter end forming panel b. The bottom ply BP has a relatively long panel to form a side of the finished carton and a shorter end forming panel d. The panels a and c are preferably the same length and panels b and d are also of the same length. All of these panels are connected to each other and have lines of scoring to permit them to be moved to open position.

The front end panel d of the bottom ply has a foldable right-hand end flap e and a left-hand end flap f extending from opposite sides thereof. The bottom side forming panel 0 is formed with a right-hand fiap g and a left-hand flap 11. On the top ply the panel a is provided with right and left-hand flaps k and m respectively and the panel 11 has right and left-hand flaps n and p respectively. Flaps on the right-hand side are separated by slots r and on the left-hand side by slots s.

The group or stack of folded cartons C as already described are normally supported by primary supports 1 and 2 at opposite sides of the group and the previously-mentioned secondary supports or elements are designated at 3, there being a pair of each element as shown in FIG. 2. Each opener 4 as shown in FIG. 2 extends rearwardly and has a toe 5. Each opener is a thin flat blade, as are the secondary supports 3, to facilitate entry thereof between top and bottom plies TP and BP as will be explained hereinafter.

Under normal conditions the lowest carton LC has the primary supports 1 and 2 extending under it in normal stationary position so that these supports hold up not only the lowest carton but all of the cartons resting on it. When the lowest carton is to be acted on the secondary supports 3, which are normally out of vertical alignment with the stack, and the openers 4, which are normally under the stack, move inwardly far enough so that the temporary supports can enter a space 6 the presence of which is due to the fact that the bottom ply BP tends to hang down slightly from the top ply TP. When in normal position the toe of the opener is under the flap e and does not extend under the end forming panel d. The secondary support and toe will then move to the left, FIG. 30, and inwardly so that both the secondary support and the toe engage the bottom side forming panel c. The parts 3 and 4 then move in the opposite direction to the right so that the opener, previously under flap e, can now pass over it but still have its toe 5 over the panel 0 and under panel a. By this time the secondary supports have taken over the weight of the top ply TP and of the superposed cartons and the primary supports 1 and 2 which are movable can be moved to nonsupporting position as shown in FIG. 24. The openers then swing downwardly simultaneously to move the bottom ply away from the top ply and cause the side forming panel 0 to approach a lower horizontal position. The opener remains in contact with the panel c and is spaced slightly from the panel d and as the latter moves to its vertical position it is engaged by a deflecting means and folder 7, FIG. 25, which pushes the flap e rearwardly between the top and bottom side flaps k and g. This movement of flap 0 between the side forming flaps is possibly due to the fact that the top flap is held up by the secondary supports while the bottom flap g is depressed by the right-hand shoe 8, FIG. 26. It will be noted that the openers move in a direction away from the group to fully open the lowest carton while it is still part of the group of cartons.

By this time the side and end forming panels have opened to a generally rectangular form and a folder or finger 9, FIG. 25, then moves from the full to the dotted line position of that figure to move the rear right-hand flap n to the position indicated in dotted lines, FIG. 25. The carton is then advanced by a primary pusher bar or advancer 10 to the right, FIG. 4, the effect of which is to cause the folder 7 to complete folding of the flap e in a rearward direction and still further forward motion of the carton by a secondary advancer 11, see FIG. 28, causes side folding guides 12 to engage the top and bottom long flaps k and g to bend the former downwardly and the latter upwardly.

During the time the carton is being moved from its position under the stack the left-hand shoe 8, FIG. 26, will guide the flap it into a stationary rebent guide or holder 13, see FIG. 8, which holds said flap h inclined downwardly and prevents rearward motion of the opened carton.

As the opened carton nears the loading station LS a lifter 14, FIG. 8, engages the top side flap m and deflects it upwardly to the position shown in FIG. 8. When the carton is in position at the loading station, gates 15, FIG. 3, then move into action to deflect the flaps f and p away from each other so that these flaps together with the flaps h and in take the general form of a tunnel to receive the articles which are to be inserted into the carton.

After the carton has been filled, as with empty cans, the gates 15 then move back to their normal or closed position out of the path of the flaps f and p and the loaded carton moves onto a roll conveyor to move down to a gluing station GL, FIG. 3. When the carton reaches the station GL the right-hand flaps which were previously folded will be on the bottom. of the carton while the flaps f, h, m and p will extend upwardly. The gluer folds and glues these latter flaps after which the carton moves along a conveyor to a discharge station where an attendant inverts the carton so that the glued flaps will be down and the unglued flaps will be up. The latter flaps will then be either taped or tied down for shipment.

In the particular form of the invention set forth herein the articles will be empty cans to be shipped to a customer who will then take the cans out of the cartons and proceed with them in usual manner and reinsert them into the carton at which time the previously unglued flaps will be glued. The invention, however, is not limited to the insertion of empty cans into the opened carton.

Referring more particularly to the means and mechanisms for carrying out the foregoing operation, the machine has a framework 20 on which the various mechanisms are mounted and has also a source of compressed air (not shown) connected through pipe 21 to various electrically controlled valves.

Supported on the framework is an electric motor 22 connected through a gear reducer 23 to a chain 24 which drives an upright shaft 25 journaled on the framework 20 and on a vertically adjustable frame 29a. By means of a variable pulley 26 the speed of shaft 25 can be varied, and one rotation of this shaft corresponds to a carton opening operation, a carton advancing operation and a loading operation. A speed of 26 rpm. may be mentioned as the rate of turning of shaft 25 but the machine is not limited to this speed. The machine will handle cartons at about twice the speed which is attainable by manual operation under previous practice.

Equal bevel gearing 27 connects shaft 25 to a hori- Zontal shaft 28 journaled on the frame a to which are secured four earns 29, 30, 31 and 32- shown respectively in FIGS. 15, 4, l4 and 13. The vertical shaft has secured thereto cams 35, 36, 37 and 38 shown respectively in FIGS. 17, 18, 19 and 20. The cams 29, 38, 31, 32, 35, 36, 37 and 38 effect opening and closing of electric switches 29a, 30a, 31a, 32a, 35a, 36a, 37a and 38a respectively, and these switches control air valves 2%, 38b, 31b, 32b, 36b, 37b and 38b respectively. Valves 2%, 36b, 31b and 32b are supplied with compressed air from pipe 40 connected through cut-01f valve 41 to supply pipe 21, and valves 35b, 36b, 37b and 38b are supplied with compressed air from pipe 42 connected through cut-off valve 43 to supply pipe 21, see FIG. 29. The valves, except 41 and 43, and their electric controls are all the same and are commercially available, the valves being preferably of the 4-way electro-pneumatic type, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this type of valve.

The right valves on shafts 25 and 28 pneumatically control various mechanisms which will now be described.

A magazine generally indicated at M confines the folded cartons. The group or stack of folded cartons C is guided by upright rods 58 and '50 spaced to confine the cartons and guide them downwardly as they descend by gravity and permit them to extend downwardly. These guide rods are on frame 28a which is supported by a platform 51 the vertical position of said frame and rods being vertically adjustable by screws 52 on the platform 51 to adapt the machine for cartons of different sizes. Supported pivotally on the frame 20a is primary support 1 having a vertically extending arm 53 and which swings around pivot 55, primary support 2 having an arm 54 which swings around pivot 56, see FIG. 4, each support having their lower ends shaped to extend under opposite sides of the group to support the latter at the beginning of a carton opening operation. A pneumatic cylinder 57 is operatively connected to primary support arm 53 and a second cylinder 58 operates a lever 59 pivoted on the frame 20a at 60. Both cylinders 57 and 58 are fixed with respect to the frame 20a and when air is introduced into cylinder 57 support arm 53 rocks counterclockwise, FIG. 4, to release the right-hand side of the group, and lever 59 rocks clockwise and allows support arm 54 to swing down around pivot 56 to release the left-hand side of the group.

Referring to the diagrammatic FIG. 29, cam 32 is in position to enable valve 32b to pass air under pressure to junction 320 via pipe 32d. Air under pressure in this junction corresponds to the normal stack holding position for the primary supports. Air via pipe 57a to cylinder 57 pushes the piston of the latter to the right, FIG. 29, and air via pipe 58a to cylinder 58 pushes its piston to the left, FIGS. 4 and 29, to lift levers 59 to hold primary support arm 54 in stack supporting position. When cam 32 has made a partial turn from the position shown in FIG. 29 it causes valve 32b to disconnect junction 320 from the air source and connects the source to junction 32c via pipe 32 Air from this latter junction via pipe 576 moves the piston in cylinder 57 to the left, FIG. 29, to move primary support arm 53 to stack releasing position, and air via pipe 58b pushes the piston in cylinder 58 to the right, FIGS. 4 and 29, thus lowering lever 59 so that primary support arm 54 can swing down to stack releasing position.

The secondary supports 3 and openers 4 have movements lengthwise of the machine and also transverse movements, the openers in addition having angular movements in a direction away from the group of cartons. To provide for the longitudinal and transverse movements of the parts 3 and 4 which move together between the plies of the lowest carton the machine has a rectangular open slidable frame designed generally at 64 including right and left-hand members 65 and 66 respectively joined at their rear ends by a cross member 67 and joined near their forward ends by a rod 68. The members 65, 66, 67 and 68 forming the frame 64 are moved back and forth by air cylinders 69 and 70 mounted in fixed position on framework 20 and under control of the cam 29. The pistons of these cylinders are connected to the members 65 and 66 and when {frame 64 is to be moved rearwardly, to the left in FIG. 29, cam 29 will cause valve 29b to introduce compressed air into junction 290 and air pressure communicated via pipes 69a and 70a will push the pistons in cylinders 69 and 70 rear- Wardly. When the frame 64 is to be moved forwardly cam 2.9 causes compressed air to pass from valve 2% to junction 29d and air pressure communicated therefrom via pipes 69b and 70b to cylinders 69 and 70 cause the pistons of the latter and frame 64 to move forwardly.

The frame 64 has mounted thereon for transverse movement with respect thereto right and left-hand carriers 72 and 73 respectively. The rear end of each carrier has a roll 74 thereon movable along a guide track 75 on member 67. The forward end of each carrier has a hub 76 slidable along rod 68. Mounted on frame 64 are right and left-hand air cylinders 78 and 79 respectively each connected to one of the hubs by a piston rod 88. These cylinders are controlled by cam 31 and when the latter causes valve 31b to be in one position compressed air is introduced into junction 31c and via flexible pipes 78a and 79a is introduced into cylinders 78 and 79 to cause their pistons 80 to move the carriers away from each other. When cam 31 moves to cause compressed air to pass from valve 31b to junction 31d air pressure is communicated from the latter via flexible pipes 78b and 79b to cylinders 78 and 79 respectively to cause the pistons 88 to move the carriers 72 and 73 toward each other.

Each of the openers 4 is mounted for pivotal movement on its carrier. FIG. 6 shows the mounting for the opener on carrier 72, which will be described, but it should be understood that a similar mounting is provided for the opener on carrier 73.

Hub 76 is formed with a horizontal plate 82 and a vertical plate 83. Plate 82 is secured to carrier 72 by screws 84 and plate 83 has a lever 85 pivoted thereto at 86. The opener 4 is fastened to lever 85 and the latter is connected by link 87 to a reciprocable actuator 88 passing through plate 82 and connected to piston rod 89 of a cylinder 98 secured to plate 82. Rolls 91 on plate 83 guide the actuator 88 and limits its movement to the right, FIG. 6.

The cylinders 98 are under the control of cam 30 which when in one position cause valve 30b to turn to introduce compressed air into junction 30c and from the latter via pipes a to the bottoms of cylinders 90 to raise the pistons in the latter and by means of links 87 swing the openers 4 down. When cam 30 moves valve 30b to its other position it introduces compressed air into junction 38d and via pipes 98b to the tops of the cylinders to depress the pistons and raise the openers 4.

When the carton has been opened as already described it will rest on support means generally indicated at SM which includes right and left-hand rails 95 and 96 respectively. At this time the previously mentioned shoes will be up as indicated in dotted lines FIG. 7 and full lines FIG. 26. These shoes move about fixed pivots 97 and are operatively connected to the piston rods 98 of air cylinders 99 and 108 at the right and left-hand sides respectively of the carton. These cylinders have the ends thereof opposite their pistons pivoted on fixed studs 10:1,

see FIG. 7, and they are controlled by cam 37 on upright shaft 25.

When cam 37 is in one position it causes valve 37b to transmit compressed air to junction 37c and thence via pipes 99a and ltllla to the piston rod ends of the cylinders 99 and 108 to hold the shoes up. When cam 37 moves to turn valve 37b compressed air will pass to junction 37d and thence to the opposite ends of the cylinders 99 and 100 via pipes 991] and 1110b respectively to cause the latter to move their respective shoes down around their pivots 97. This down motion occurs about at the time the opened carton is on the support means. The left-hand shoe pushes flap it down so that it will align with guide 13, see FIG. 7, and the right-hand shoe pushes flap g down to make room for flap it when it is folded by 9.

Folder 9 is at the right-hand side of the machine, the lower part of FIG. 2, and is not duplicated on the other side. The folder includes a fixed upright tube 105, FIGS. 1, 2 and 25, in which an upright shaft 156 is rockable. The upper end of pin 106 has secured thereto two folding fingers 107 of U-shaped form the rounded parts of which engage the flap n. The bottom of shaft 106 has secured thereto an arm 108, FIGS. 1 and 2, pivoted to a link 109 which in turn is pivoted to arm 110. The latter is secured to a second upright shaft 111 rockable in a tube 112 held in fixed position on frame 20. This second shaft has secured to the upper end thereof a retainer 113 which overlaps the two fingers 107 when in the dotted line position shown in FIG. 25.

Arm 110 is pivoted to a link 115 which is also pivoted to a lever 116, FIG. 1. This lever is pivoted at 117 to frame and has rotatable thereon a roll 118 held against a face cam 119 by a tension spring 120 one end of which is held by frame 20 and the other end of which is connected to link 115, see FIG. 2. Cam 119 is horizontal and is secured to upright shaft 121 extending from gear reducer 23. Shaft 121 has secured thereto a sprocket wheel 122 which by the chain 24 drives upright shaft 25. Cam 119 has a high dwell 124 and a low dwell 125. When roll 118 is on the high dwell link 115 is to the right, FIG. 2, and the folder 9 and retainer are in their nonworking position shown in full lines in FIG. 25. When roll 115 is on the low dwell the folder and retainer are in the working position shown in FIG. 25. Shafts and 121 turn at the same rate.

After the folder 9 has folded flap n advancing mechanism comes into action to move the canon away from the opening station toward the loading station. This mechanism includes a carriage 130 slidable lengthwise of the machine on frame 20. This carriage has pivoted thereto at 131 the primary pusher 10 an arm 133 of which is connected to the piston rod 134 of an air cylinder 135 mounted on the carriage. The carriage is reciprocated by means of a crank arm 136 secured to shaft 121, see FIG. 9, and link 137.

Air to cylinder 135 is controlled by cam 38 and valve 38b and without a junction such as is used with other valves already described, since there is only one cylinder 135. As the carriage moves rearwardly, to the left in FIG. 29, valve 3811 will be in position to introduce air under pressure via flexible hose or pipe 135:: to hold piston rod 134 in its in position, thereby holding the primary pusher in the position shown in FIG. 4. After the folder 9 has operated to fold flap n between flaps g and k, valve 381; will have its position changed by cam 38 so that compressed air via pipe 135b will push the piston rod out to rock pusher 10 clockwise, FIG. 4, to engage the rear end of the carton. Thereupon crank 136 will move the carriage and carton to the right, FIG. 4, for a distance equal preferably to a little more than the length of the carton.

The carriage is at a level somewhat below that of the support means along which the primary pusher moves the carton so that on its return stroke the carriage will not drag on the carton and tend to move it rearwardly. It is desirable however to provide a stop to engage the rear end of the carton to positively prevent retrograde movement of it. This stop 139, shown in FIG. 31, comprises a thin sheet metal strip 140 having an inclined part 141 and a vertical turned down end 142 which engages the rear end of the carton. The other end of the strip extends into a recess 143 cut into the top surface of one of the support rails and held therein by a screw 144 tapped into the rail and ermitting limited up and down motion of the stop under the action of a coiled spring 145 received in a pocket 146 in the rail and action of the carton. A series of rolls 147 rotatable on the frame 20 in position to engage the top of the carton, preferably the right-hand upper edge of a side forming panel thereof, prevent upward displacement of the carton by spring 145. The machine as shown has three of the stops 139. A carton passing over a stop will depress it and the stop will rise to stopping position as the carton passes beyond it due to movement of the carriage.

The auxiliary pushers or advancers 11 are mounted on the carrier 130 and are pivoted thereto at 150. Each advanccr 11 has a forwardly and upwardly inclined part 151 and a down bent end 152 for engagement with the rear part of a carton. A stop screw 153 is tapped into the carriage and passes through each advancer 11 to limit upward movement of the latter by action of a spring 154. The auxiliary advancers can be depressed readily when passing under a carton as the carriage has a return or nonadvancing stroke due to turning of crank 136.

When the primary advancer 1G is up and the crank pulls the carriage forwardly or to the right, FIGS. 1, 4 and 31, the carton will be moved until its trailing end is slightly beyond the first of the stops 139, whereupon the latter will spring up to hold the carton and the crank will then push the carriage rearwardly or to the left, FIGS. 1, 4 and 31, the first of the advancers 11 thereupon being depressed and the rolls 147 preventing up motion of the carton. When the carriage has been moved rcarwardly a sufficient distance the previously depressed advancer 11 will spring up behind the carton and will advance the carton to the next stop 139 on the next forward motion of the carriage. In this way the cartons are moved one at a time to the loading station. As the carton advances its top and bottom right-hand flaps are folded by the guides or folder rods 12, and a stationary fiat plate 155 held in fixed position holds the folded end flaps in folded position until the folders 12 begin to depress the top and bottom flaps.

The carriage 130 has rolls 156 which roll along the rails 95 and 96 as suggested in FIG. 11. At the loading station, the supporting rails are provided with portions spaced in an offset vertical and horizontal relationship, rail 95 having a relatively low inclined top surface 160 and rail 96 having a relatively higher inclined top surface 161. Both surfaces slope downwardly in a direction away from carton loading means yet to be described. At about the time the right-hand auxiliary advancer (FIG. 1) delivers the carton to the loading station a backing-up support generally indicated at 162 comes into action to prevent the front of the carton from descending to the inclined surface 160. The support 162, see FIGS. 1, 3 and 11, includes two bearings 165 held on the frame in transversely adjusted position and an upright arm 166 pivoted on each bearing. A cross rod 167 joining arms 166 is connected to the piston rod 168 of an air cylinder 169 mounted pivotally on the frame at 170. A flap engaging flat plate 171 is secured to the arms 166 and is normally out of the path of a carton being advanced and is tilted to the right, FIG. 11, to a position substantially perpendicular to the inclined surfaces 160 and 161.

Cylinder 169 is under control of cam 175 on shaft 28. This cam opens and closes on electric switch 176 from which two electric wires 177 and 178 lead to another switch 179 (FIG. 1) closed by an arm 180 when a carton arrives at the loading station. Switches 176 and 179 are in series and when both are closed an electrically operated air valve 181, see FIG. 29, passes air under pressure from pipe 182 connected to supply pipe 21 to the right-hand end of cylinder 169 (FIGS. 11 and 29) via pipe 183 to move plate 171 against the previously folded flaps and move them into close folded position to support the carton against right-hand movement (FIG. 11) during the loading operation. After the loading operation camv 175 effects opening of switch 176 and valve 181 then automatically moves to introduce air via pipe 184 into the left end of cylinder 169 to return the piston rod and plate 171 to their normal position. When piston rod 168 is out the plate 171 holds the carton above rail 95 but allows the carton to rest on rail 96. As plate 171 moves away from its supporting position after the loading operation the carton drops of its own weight onto inclined surfaces 160 and 161 and is tilted forwardly as it is moved onto the angularly disposed rolls 185 (FIG. 3) by the next carton to reach the loading station. When the loaded carton is in forwardly tilted position it will be supported by the inclined surfaces and plate 171 in a manner to prevent the articles of the carton from falling therefrom.

Referring particularly to FIG. 8, frame 20 supports an air cylinder 191 pivotally at 192 and a piston rod 193 is pivoted at 194 to flap lifter 195 pivoted at 196 to frame 20. The previously mentioned lifter plate 14 is part of the lifter for the flap m. Cylinder 191 in controlled by cam 36 and valve 36b. When cam 36 is in one position it causes valve 36b to introduce air under pressure to the' top of cylinder 191 via pipe 191a to hold the piston rod 193 down in its normal position. When a carton arrives at a point adjacent the loading station, cam 36 then causes valve 36b to pass air through pipe 191b to the bottom of cylinder 191 to raise the lifter to elevate the flap m to the position shown in FIG. 8.

The previously mentioned gates are shown in FIGS. 3 and 29. A frame generally indicated at 190 receives the articles to be loaded and has rockably mounted thereon two vertical shafts 200 each having secured thereto an arm 261 and a flat plate 202 which forms a flap engaging gate 15. Each arm 201 is connected to a piston rod 203 of a cylinder 264 pivotally connected to frame 190 at 205-. The cylinders 204 are jointly controlled by cam 35 and its valve 35b. When the latter is in its normal position it introduces compressed air into junction 35c and air via pipes 204a and 2041) pushes the piston rods in to keep the gates in closed position, that is, out of the path of flaps f and p as the carton moves to the loading station. When the carton reaches the loading station cam 35 moves the valve 35b to introduce compressed air into junction 35:! to enable air via pipes 2040 and 204d to push the piston rods 203 outwardly and cause the gates to push flaps f and p away from each other so that the flaps f, h, rn; and p are flared to form a funnel-like guide for the articles to be pushed into the carton. After the plungers 206 have pushed the articles into the carton cam 35 acts to return the gates to their normal position and the carton, having moved to its tilted position on surfaces 160 and 161 is moved toward the rolls 185 and by gravity moves on to the gluing station GL.

The plungers 206, see FIGS. 11 and 29, are under control of the previously described air valve 181, and when the latter operates to permit passage of air through pipe 183 to move plate 171 to supporting position, it also permits passage of air to cylinder 210 via pipe 211 to effect loading of a carton by plungers 206. After the loading operation earn 175 effects opening of switch 176, and valve 181 then moves automatically to let air into cylinder 214) via pipe 212 to return the plungers to nonoperating position as plate 171 moves to nonsupporting position.

The magazine M has a pair of vertical bars 215, see FIGS. 1, 2 and 32, at the front end thereof, one of which supports an actuator 216 pivoted as at 217. The actuator is moved and held to the right, FIG. 32, by the flattened cantons C to actuate a button- 218 to close a switch 219 supported by the bars 215. If the magazine is depleted of cartons, actuator 216 will move to the left, FIG. 32, by gravity to open switch 219. Switch 219 on frame a is in series with another switch 220, see FIGS. 3 and 29', on the frame 190. Switch 220 has a lever 221 which depresses a button 222 to close the switch. Closure of switch 220 is effected by the lowermost row of cans which hold lever 221 down as the cams progressively move down frame 190 toward the plungers 206. When both switches 219 and 220 are closed, as above explained, the machine will continue to operate, but if either of the switches open due to depletion of the magazine or the absence of cans respectively, initiation of stoppage of the machine will occur. Both switches 219 and 2.20 are timed by a cycling switch 225 operated by a cam 226 on shaft 28, see FIGS. 1, 2 and 29, such that stoppage will not occur until switch 225 is opened by its cam 226 and one or the other of switches 219 or 220 is also opened. By cycling or timing the switches 219, 220 and 225, as described above, stoppage of the machine will occur at the end of the rearward stroke of advancer 10 and before the plungers 206 can move to have a loading operation. As long as both switches 219 and 220 remain closed, opening of switch 225 will have no effect in stopping the machine.

Referring to FIGS. 2, l6, and 29, shaft 28 rotates a cam 229 thereon to depress a button 230 on a switch 231 to open the latter to effect stoppage of the machine when a carton fails to close switch 17 9' due to faulty stitching or taping of panels a and b which prevents proper opening of the carton necessary to close switch 179, see FIG. 29. The circuitry for switches 176, 179 and 261 is such that when switches 176 and 179 are closed by cam 175 and carton C, respectively, opening of switch 231 will be ineffective to cause stopping of the machine.

When it is desired to adapt the machine for cartons of diiferent sizes, the screws 52, described above, are turned on their axes in one direction or another to raise or lower fname 20a to provide the proper space underneath the magazine M for cartons of various sizes. It is to be understood, of course, that only one size of carton will be used at a time.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the screws 52 have their lower ends conventionally journaled in framework 20 and their upper ends threaded into bearings 240 fast on frame 20a. Intermediate the ends of each screw a sprocket wheel 241 is fastened such that the lower surface 242 of each wheel rests on platform 51 of framework 20. A continuous chain 243 operatively connects a pair of screws 52 on the right-hand side of the machine and a chain 244 operatively connects a pair of screws 52 on the left-hand side of the machine, see FIG. 2. Each front screw at the bottom thereof, FIGS. 1 and 4, has fixedly mounted thereon a worm wheel 245 each of which abuts part of the framework 20 and meshes with a worm gear 246. A shaft 247 extends across the machine to connect both worm gears and when the shaft is turned the worms will rotate to revolve screws 52 via the worm gears and chains 2'43 and 244. Frame 211a is guided between a pair of channels 248 which is part of the framework 20. A pair of plates 250 on frame 20a has vertical guide bars 251 fast thereon and these plates and bars move up or down to guide the frame when the screws 52 are turned. 1 l l l After frame 20a has been vertically adjusted to accommodate a selected carton size the various mechanisms above described, such as one of the shoes 8, folders 7 and 9, folding guides 12, rolls 147 and backing-up support 162, are adjusted toward or away from rails and 96 to compensate for the selected carton size. These said various mechanisms are supported by a long plate 252. see FIGS. 1-3, which have threaded hubs 254 and 255 through which screws 256 and 257 respectively pass. Another long plate 258 supports mechanisms above described, such as one of the shoes 8, rebent guide 13 and lifter .14. Plate 258 has thereon hubs 259 and 261 which receive screws 256 and 257 respectively, the latter being journaled on the framework 20. A continuous chain 262, FIG. 4, meshes with sprocket wheels 263 and 264 on screws 256 and 257 respectively to operatively connect screws 256 and 257, and when screw 256 is turned, the plates 252 and .258 and the mechanisms supported thereby will move toward or away from each other depending in which direction the screw is turned. The various mechanisms on plates 252 and 258 are mounted thereon for vertical ad- 1 1 justment by usual bolt and slot connections, as can be readily seen in the drawings.

Upright rods 50 of the machine M are supported by a pair of upper and lower lefbhand bearings 266 and 267 respectively, while upright rods 50' are supported by a pair of upper and lower right-hand bearings 2 68 and 269 respectively, see FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. Bearings 266 and 268 are slidably mounted on upper rods 270 and 271 respectively, and lower bearings 267 and 269 are threaded to receive screws 272 and 273 respectively. Rod 270 and screw 273 are supported by a pair of plates 274, and rod 271 and screw 273 are supported by a pair of plates 275. Turning of screws 272 and 273- will cause rods 50 and 50 respectively to move toward or away from each other to accommodate various widths of cartons. Plates 274 and 275 are adjustably mounted on frame 20a but it is only necessary to move plates 274 to the left or right, FIG. 4, to compensate for various lengths of cartons.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 4 and 10, the hubs 76 of the carriers 72. and 73 are slidably mounted on rod 68 and each hub has fixed thereto a rigid member 277 connected to a threaded hub 278 which receives a screw 279 rotatably mounted on frame 20a. Turning of screw 279 will cause movement of carriers 72 and 73, supports 3, openers 4, plates 82 and cylinders 90 thereon, and cylinders 79 and 78 toward or away from each other to allow for various widths of cartons. The supports 3 and openers 4 are adjustably held on the carrier and can be placed at various points along the carriers when different lengths of cartons are used.

After the component parts of the machine have been adjusted for a particular size carton, the machine itself must be adjusted laterally with respect to the loading station LS. Referring to FIGS. 2, 4, 23 and 33, a stub shaft 280 journaled on framework 20 has at one end thereof a sprocket wheel 281 meshing with a chain 282 trained around another sprocket wheel 283 fast on a screw 284 rotatably supported on framework 28. A sprocket Wheel 285 on the other end of stub shaft 230 meshes with a chain 286 trained around a sprocket wheel 287 fast on a screw 289 rotatably supported on framework 20. Screws 284 and 289 are threaded through bearings 291 and 292 respectively, see FIG. 33. Bearings 29]. and 292 are rigid with respect to floor plates 293 and 294 respectively, and pass through a slot 295 on framework 20, the latter being fastened to the floor plates by screws 296. These screws pass through slots 297, FIG. 33, and when it is necessary to shift the machine laterally bolts 296 are loosened and stub shaft 280 is turned. Turning of shaft 280 causes chains 282 and 286 to effect rotation of screws 284 and 289 which thread themselves into or out of bearings 291 and 292, depending upon which direction shaft 280 is turned, to cause lateral movement of the entire machine toward or away from the loading station. After the machine has been accurately placed in position the screws 296 are tightened and the machine is ready to operate.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention provides simple carton opening mechanism which effects opening of the carton while the latter is still a part of the stack of superposed folded cartons in the magazine. By this arrangement the carton can be opened directly under the magazine and thereby save space as distinguished from those openers in which the carton is first removed from the magazine and then opened. It will be seen that the invention includes opener blades at each end of the group of cartons and which enter between the top and bottom plies of the lowest carton and then by downward motion lowers the bottom ply while the top ply is still a part of the group of cartons. The primary supports engage the panels only and move away from cartonsupporting position as the secondary supports move between the plies of the bottommost carton, thereby facilitating downward motion of the bottom ply. The primary supports return to group supporting position before the secondary supports which are at each end of the group are removed from the group supporting position by withdrawing means. Furthermore, adjusting means are provided for varying the distance between the carriers 72 and 73 to adapt the opening mechanism to cartons of various widths. An initial folding operation of one of the forward flaps is effected by the opener means during the latter part of the down motion of the latter and this folding is completed when the opened carton is moved toward the loading station. The folding means for the trailing flap on one side of the opened carton swings into position to move this flap betwen top and bottom flaps which are temporarliy spread apart slightly to receive the end flap. Also, shoe means are provided for effecting control of the flaps. The majority of the operations are carried out pneumatically by means of cams and electrically operated air valves controlled by the cams, and the air cylinders which are required to move are connected by flexible hoses to their respective valves. At the loading station a support temporarily comes into operation to back up previously folded flaps and resist movement of the carton in the direction of loading. Also, gates at the loading station operate clue to control means on certain of the flaps to deflect them to form a funnellike entrance for the material to be loaded into the carton, after which means act to cause reversal of the control means to effect movement of the gates to closed or normal position to enable the loaded carton to move away from the loading station without interference by the gates with the end flaps.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

1. In a machine having a loading station for loading an open carton having top and bottom and end flaps extending from top and bottom and end forming panels of the carton, a normally horizontal pusher bar in a location normally behind an open carton and movable to a vertical position behind the carton to engage an end panel thereof, a crank arm to effect advancement of said bar to push the open carton a predetermined distance after which said crank arm operates to effect a return movement of said bar to said location, means operating to move said bar to said vertical position before advancement of said bar and operating also to move the latter to its horizontal position during initial return movement of said bar, auxiliary spring biased pusher means operatively connected to said bar to move therewith to advance an open carton to the loading station after said carton has moved said distance, stop means to limit spring action on said pusher means, a vertically reciprocable shoe means cooperating with the bar to effect depression of the bottom flap, a vertically reciprocable lifter normally out of the path of an advancing carton to effect raising of the top flap when the carton is adjacent said station, two normally closed gate means which form a closed funnel and which are out of the path of the end flaps as the auxiliary pusher means advances a carton to the loading station, said gate means being in a vertical plane at the station and extending across and being slightly spaced from the open end of a carton and also being movable about vertical axes spaced farther apart than the length of the top flap, and control means causing the gate means to move about their axes to effect an open funnel and to partially move the gate means into said open end between all the flaps to engage and move the end flaps laterally away from each other, whereby said flaps diverge from each other in a direction away from said panels to facilitate entry into the carton of material to be loaded therein.

2. The machine set forth in claim 1 wherein means causes reversal of the control means causing the latter to return the gate means to normal closed position to enable a loaded carton to move away from the loading station Without interference by the gate means with the end flaps.

3. The machine set forth in claim 2 wherein guide means cooperate with the bar and pusher means to cause a carton to move toward and away from the loading station along a stationary straight path and the reversing means causes the control means to return the gate means to normal closed position before the carton moves away from the loading station.

4. The machine set forth in claim 2 wherein said guide means includes a set of rolls in series engaging an upper edge of the advancing carton to prevent up movement thereof from said path and being ineffective to cause collapse of said advancing carton when engaging the latter.

5. The machine set forth in claim 1 wherein the shoe means is a fiat plate having an upturned end and acts to depress the bottom flap before advancement of a carton to place the flap in a position conducive to prevent movement of the carton in a direction opposite to the direction in which said material enters the carton, bracing means normally out of the path of an advancing carton to engage previously folded flaps to tend to move the latter in said opposite direction and wherein the shoe means which effects depression of the bottom flap guides the latter into stationary guide means which engages and prevents upward movement of the bottom flap as the advancing means moves the carton and also prevents movement of the carton in said opposite direction during engagement of said previously folded flaps by said bracing means.

6. In a carton loading machine having a loading station to which a carton is advanced with one side thereof opening horizontally opposite carton loading means at the station, a pair of carton supporting rails .having portions spaced in an offset vertical and horizontal relationship at said station, each portion at the top thereof being provided with an inclined surface sloping downwardly and in a direction away from said loading means, and a bracing plate at said station in tilted position subs-tantially perpendicular to the inclined surfaces and normally out of the path of the carton being advanced and movable to upright position to engage the opposite side of the carton stationarily to brace said one side in horizontally opening position for article loading into said carton after which the plate is returned to said tilted position while said surfaces due to their relationship permit said opposite side of the carton due to its own weight to drop to a position at said station lower than said one side to cause tilting of the carton in a direction to prevent the articles of the carton from falling therefrom, said surfaces and said plate acting to support said carton in its tilted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,628,803 Pinter May 17, 1927 2,092,773 Nordquist et al. Sept. 14, 1937 2,289,820 Ardell July 14, 1942 2,637,958 Lippmann et a1 May 12, 1953 2,651,896 Woodruif et a1. Sept. 15, 1953 2,705,584 Gilbert et al Apr. 5, 1955 2,736,998 Walrave et a1 Mar. 6, 1956 2,829,478 Engleson Apr. 8, 1958 2,851,837 Ardell et al. a Sept. 16, 1958 

